Help! Is this egg binding? Or something else?

[Skyle]

Hi, I need some help, I'm disperated... I saved her when she was one day old (long story) and I don't want to lose her in this way.
I just went outside and I found my favourite hen laying in a corner of the duck coop (Chickens and ducks are in the same run but different coops, usually they freerange but due to the bird flu emergency they are kept inside the run)
She is the only laying hen I have now and I didn't found any egg from her today. Her crop is full of food (and the crops of the other hens looks the same), so she ate today and must be something that happened during the day.
When I called her she did't want to come out, so I picked her up and putted her on the ground near me, she stands (not well, she keeps her bottom low) few seconds but then lays on the ground. Now she went on a low perch I have in the run and stays on there with eyes closed. She looks a bit out of breath but no signs of nasal discharge or something else that may make me thonk of respiratory diseases. She has a bit of poop sticked on her bottom. The only thing I can think is egg binding (or an egg cracked in the oviduct?) but when I touch her I don't feel any egg. I don't know what to do. Thanks to everyone and sorry if I made some grammar/word mistakes but I'm so worried for her

 

[Skyle]

I was taking a photo of the poop, but looks like egg, but I not sure... Sorry It's an awful photo...

 

[MandS]

Couple of things come to mind:

1. When a hen gets to the point of laying, they become quite unresponsive. They can just sit there and not move much until the egg comes. Best thing to do is put her in a quiet and dark place. Maybe it has been too crowded in the coop or she has not been able to get into a quiet corner to lay?

2. If it is egg binding, then you can give her a calcium (indigestion) tablet like a Tums. Depending on how big she is, I would give her 1/4 to 1/.2 a tablet. Also you can give her a warm bath in Epsom Salts to help move the egg along.

3. Check it isn't crop. Unlikely in one day that it would produce the effect of just sitting around. Check her as she wakes in the morning to see if it has emptied.

Good luck - others will offer help and advice too.

 

[MandS]

Just seen the photo. It could be egg yolk or just yellow poop. You should be able to tell if you feel the texture. Egg congeals, poop will often be crumbly when dried out.

If egg yolk, you need to see if there is any more egg in her. Others may give better advice (and there are plenty of threads on here about it) but I would check her vent with my finger (either in a glove or not, but covered in olive oil or similar to aid lubrication) feeling for bits of egg shell. That's the thing that does the damage as it can cut the inside of her and lead to infection.

If you find any, then gently do what you can to remove it and then read up all about what to do next. I have done this once and I followed advice off a youtube video.

 

[Skyle]

Thank you... She looks really in pain and I saw her laying eggs more times, so I don't think she is just at the point of laying.
Also, her crop looks healthy
I checked the thing in the photo, it's quite sticky and still fresh and has a yellow part that looks a bit like a bit dry egg, then has a transparent part that is sticky

 

[Skyle]

So... She just pooped this thing

I wore a glove and used some olive oil, I can easly feel (she pushed and I saw it in her vent) something that looks like a whole egg, but I don't know if it's broken on the top

 

[MandS]

Ahh, that might not be so bad then. Perhaps she is egg bound after all. So, for me, I would give a warm bath in epsom salts and then the 1/4 or 1/2 a Tums. Keep her in a warm dark place and let her do her thing.

The best thing you have said is that you have seen an egg in there. Unlikely then to be broken (hopefully).

If she is in pain, and you don't think the above will help or it is more urgent, are you able to get to a vet who is OK with birds?

 

[Skyle]

So... I was carrying her inside and she layed it in front of the door (the egg obviously cracked)
She now is still apathic though... If she doesn't get well I'll try to call the vet and see if he can do something for her

 

[MandS]

Actually, that sounds good news. I wonder if she just wanted to lay and couldn't but moving her and digitally checking her caused things to move along.

See how she is and if she will eat some treats. Did the egg come out whole but just broke on the ground because you were carrying her - or was it broken as she laid it? I hope it was the former because that would sound positive.

If she doesn't improve, then it is vet time because it might be nothing to do with the reproductive system and be something else that we can't see yet. The poop looked ok-ish but not the yellow stuff on her butt.

Good luck

 

[Skyle]

Thank you so much, the egg broke because fell on the ground.
She still keeps the eyes closed but opens them if there is a noise (like the door opening) or when I pet her.